Incubator.



Patented Oct. 23, |900'.

0. W. lBANIINILPH. INGUBATOR.l

(Application Bled Jan. 4 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(NojModel.)

TH: uonms PETcns co,. Promuma. wAsmNsTcNA D. c.

"N0 600,300. Patented oct. 23, |900. 0. w. RAN00LPH.

mcu'BATon.

Application med aan. 4,1900.) v (no Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

UNITED STATES L PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER W. RANDOLPH, OF MOCLURE, OHIO.

INCUBATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPat-ent No. 660.309, dated october 2s, 1900. Application filed January 4.1900. Serial No. 359. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, OLIVER W. RANDOLPH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mc- Clure, in the county of Henry and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Incubator, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to incubators; and one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide in connection with an incubator-body means for discharging fresh air in a heated and moistened condition into the in' terior of the incubator and Ydistributing or spreading the same from above the egg-tray and over the eggs.

Another object of the invention is to provide efficient means for properlyand thoroughly Ventilating the incubator and freeing the same from foul air.

Another object is to provide a novel form of egg-tray in connection with an egg-separating frame by means of which the eggs are' prevented from coming in contact with each other, the construction at the same time enabling the eggs to be rolled or partially turned over at proper intervals.

The invention also has for its object to pro-y vide a novel form of nursery-tray comprising a flexible or fabric bottom and having means whereby the said flexible bottom may be readily and quickly removed and replaced by another piece of fabric. E

The invention also contemplates novel means for conveying the Water after it has cooled in the main tank back to the boiler or heater, so that it may be reheated and .conveyed in the form of moisture back to the interior'of the incubator.

Otherobjects and advantages of theinvention will appearin the course of the ensuing description.

The invention cons istsin an incubator embodying certain novel features of construction andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional Viewv of an incubator constructed in accordance with the present invention.. Fig. 2 is a similar section taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view of the hot-Water tank, showing also the boiler or heater, the mixing-chamber, and the connections between said parts.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the heater. 5 is a similar view taken through the mixing-chamber. Fig. 6 is a detray and egg-separating frame, showing said parts properly associated. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional perspective View of the nursery-tray.

, tail Vperspective view of portions of the egg- -Similarnumerals of reference designate cor-l responding parts in all .figures of the drawings. I

' The body of the incubator comprises in its construction double walls, l designating the Wall ofthe body is-.composed of `a pair of doors, 5 designating the outer door and 6 the inner door. lower edge, as indicated at '7, so as to fold downward as it is swung outward, while, on the contrary, the inner door 6 is hung at its upper edge 8 to foldupward, thus facilitating the withdrawal of the nursery-tray hereinafter described.

Arranged in the upper portion of the incubator is a hot-water tank 9, closed on all sides, top and bottom. This tank is preferably shal- The outer door is hinged at its low in order to economize space, but extends entirely over the egg-tray hereinafter described. Mounted upon the outside ot' the incubator-body is a double boiler or heater comprising a lower or main section 10 and au upper section l1, the two sections being connected by the heateror boiler tubes l2. Arranged at one side of and'adjacent to the heater is a mixing-chamber 13, having at its lower end a fresh-air-inlet pipe r14 and at a point intermediate its ends a steam-supply pipe l5, which communicates with the upper end of the upper section 11 of the double heater, said steam-su pply pipe being provided at a point intermediate its ends with a cut-off valve 16 in order to shut off the supplyof hot air or steam when it is desired to ventilate the incubator. Adjacent to its upper heater.

vthe contents of the upper section 11.

end the mixingchamber has connectedthereto a moist-ener-tube `17, which extends `horizontally beneath the hot-water tank 9 and is secured thereto for support by any suitable. or convenient means. The moistener-tube 17 extends entirely acrossthebottom ofthehot-L water tank and is provided with a right-an* gular upward extension or vent-pipe 1S,which passes through the upper and lower walls ofi the hot-water tank and projects suiciently above the tank to receive a stopperlQ, which is inserted therein when the apparatus `isa` used for supplying moist air to the interior of the incubator. In operation the steam or hot air passes from the heater through the steam-supply pipe 15 intothe mixingechamber 13 and upward tolthennisteneitube 17,

1thus drawing fresh airup through theair-` tube 14 and carryinga suiiieient'quantity'of fresh air with it `to the interiorof `the incubaton `moistener-tube in close proximity totheegg-` tray.

The double heater or boiler comprises inits `lower section an outer cylindricalwall 21 and an inner flue-Wall 22, which is of conioocylindrical shape, tapering `graduallyfromits lower end, which is the`larger,`toward lits" upper end, `thusforming` anupwardly-'con tracting fluefor the products of combustiomfrom a suitable vburner 23, arranged Abeneath the The due-wall 22 `and outer wall `2l are sealed at top and bottom ibyth'elupper `and lower walls 23 aud24, respectively, -so as to form an annular \vaterspace 25.

`drical wall 27, which isopen at itsupper end and which extends'downward into and par- 1tia-lly through the *tapering 'fine ywithin the lower section 110,` so that a portion of theheat will pass upward through'the innerflue'dlesignated by 28) `and raisethetemperature of `Water is introducedintotheupper section'through au opening in its upperwall,wliichisclosed 'by a removable filling-:plug 29, thewateupasshot airis impeded and therefore caused'toact `with greater eiiciency on the lower section 10, while at'lthe sameftimeit acts againstthe bottom oftheupper section lland alsohe'ats 'the inner wall 27 ofthe upper section and raises thetemperature of the contents of said upper section. The hot air, -hot water, Vor

thereby equalizing the temperature of the waterwvithin the tank.

The lower section of the boiler is provided near its bottom with an extension 32, from which branch pipes 33 diverge upwardly and enter thehot-water tank at that side or end adjacent the heater. The water within the tank 9 as it cools passes outward therefrom through the return water-tubes 33 and is collected in the heater extension 32, whence it passes into the heater and is reheated. In :this way acomplete circulationis established between the hot-water tank and the heater. Thehot-watertank is provided with a Vertical regulator-tube 34, through which may freely pass one of the operative parts of an lordinary thermostatic regulator, and the heater is'providedwith a dra`woff cock 35 in ordertoprovideifor emptying the waterfrom itheiheaterwhem 1the incuhatorfis not in use.

'Arranged ator nearthebottom of thein- 'cdbator "is fa nursery-tray '36,cornprising a rectangularrnetallframe 37, each sidebar or end of whichV comprises an outer lupwardly- 'extendingliiange 38 and an inner bliquelydisposedflange 39,whihinlines upwardan d outward toward the upright vflange 38. A -pieceiof "fabric 40 isstretched across the inside of the nursery-tray franleftoform'a cheap iiexiblebottom therefoin The'edgesof the `fabrioloverlap` and extendibeyond'the oblique Iflanges 39 and lie inthe gutterfformed 'between the flanges 38 and 39, in'which said edgesarelconfinedand clamped byrmeans of *binding orretaining-strips 41, eachofwheh com prises' a f flat Vhorizontal body portion and 'an'oblique `iiange 42, projectingupward and 'outward from tthe inueredge fthereof, the an'ge42beingdisposedatsubstantiallylthe same angle as the ilanget39,labovedescribed, `solas torenable each:retaining-strip to'act as rawedgeforpre'ssingthe edges of *the fabric bottom beneathand Kinto-the` anglesbetween the "bottom wall Vot' the nu rsery-tray frame andtheinneroblique;ange39ithereof,there by serving to stretchthe `flexiblefabricbot- !tom 40facrossfthefframe and render the same suflciently `taut' `to lsupport theweight ofthe chickens after they are hatched and 'fall downwardfromtheoverlyingeggitray. By ithe construction 'above described ithe retaining-strips may be quiekly'remo'ved and the 'fabricbottom taken out of the `nurserytray `'and `clermedor replaced by anew bottom.

By reference to Fig. 7 of the -drawings it `will besee'n that'when "it is desired Vto insert a newiiexiblebottom 40 Ait fissirnplyneces- 'sary to kpull 4'upwardly upon fthe edge of the fabric protrudingifroni under fthe'outer edge of each retainingLstrip. `Thestrip will inthis zmanner be tilted'slightly and will effect the nseparation ofthe contiguous'inclined flanges 39and 42 and Willpermit the-removal ofthe l"fabric bottom. When Ythe new bottom `has `been laidover the frarne,'the anged edges ofthe strips are forced upon the fabricand IIO A removed from the vent-pipe 18.

660.309 f el under the fianges 39, which serves to stretch also for creating a Vcomplete circulation of the bottom taut. are then forced down, which securely wedges said strips between the flanges 38 and 39 and retains the bottom in place, with its edge drawn sharply around the top ofthe flanges 39.

Between the hot-'water tank and thc nur` The frame of this tray is ofpopen rectangular; form, each of the side and end bars thereof;` being L-shaped in cross-section, as shown at: 44, so as to form an upright surrounding rim sery-tray is interposed the egg-tray43.

and inwardly-extending horizontal ledges 45.

Upon the ledges 45 are placed egg-troughs;

46, preferablyformed of sheet metal and provided with upturned and upwardly-diven ging or flaring longitudinal flanges 47, be-` tween which the eggs are confined. The upper edges of the flanges 47 lie in the same horizontal plane and form rests for an eggseparating and rolling frame 48, which is composed of a parallel series of strips or division-pieces 49, intersecting or extendingat between the flanges 47 thereof, and thus it is impossible for the eggs to come in Contact with each other.

The egg-separating frame 48 is sufficiently smaller than the egg-tray'43 to admit of said egg-separating frame vbeing moved bodily, thereby adapting it to act upon the eggs so as to roll or turn the eggs partially over at the proper periods. The egg separating frame is not attached in any way to the eggtray, and therefore when the hatching-out process begins the said egg-separating frame maybe removed from the egg-tray and, if desired, withdrawn from the incubator. Before doing so, however, it may be desirable to roll the eggs laterally from the troughs 46 into the spaces between the troughs, so that the eggs will rest on the adjacent edges of parallel troughs. By this arrangement the chickens as they hatch may drop through the space between the troughs and fall upon the flexible bottom of the nursery-tray beneath.

In ord er to ventilate the incubator, the cutoff valve 16 may be closed and the stopper 19 This will allow the bad air within the incubator to pass upward through the nozzles 20 into the moistener-tube 17 and thence outward through the vent-pipe 18, or steam may be allowed to pass through the moistener-tube 17, whereupon it will act by suction to draw the air from the incubator and force it outward through the vent-pipe 18, at the same t-ime drawing inward fresh air through the air-pipe 14 and the holes 14u in the end of the body or casing, said air-inlet holes 14iL being shown by Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple means for introducing moistened air into the incubator for Ventilating the incubator and freeingthe same from bad air and The rear edges of the sl ripsy water between the heater or boiler and the hot-water tank. It will also be seen that l have provided an egg-tray in which the eggs may be easily turned partially over and by means of which the chickens as they hatch may drop through the egg-tray upon the nursery-tray beneath. It will also be seen that the mirsery-tra57 is provided with a removable exiblebottom and that such bottom may be quickly removed and replaced whenever necessary.

From the foregoing it. is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be linderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing front the spirit or sacrificing any of' the advantages of the invention. l

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with an incubator having au egg-tray, and a heater situated exteriorly of the incubator, of a mixer having a steam-pi pe connection with the heater,a freshair inlet to the mixer at one side of the steam connection, anda moisture-delivery tube'connected to the mixer at a Vpoint to receive an admixture of steam and air, said delivery-tube arranged partly in the incubator and having a number of delivery-ports at points intermediate of its length, as set forth.

2. The combination of an incubator having an egg-tray and a water-tank, a heater having water connection with the tank, a mixer provided with a fresh-air inlet and with a steam connection with the heater, and a moisture-delivery pipe connected to the mixer and arranged between the tank and the eggtray, said delivery-pipe provided at points intermediate' of its length` with a number of ports which face toward the egg-tray, as set forth.

3. The combination with an incubator, of an exteriorly-arranged heater, an exteriorlyarranged mixing-chamber, a steam-pipe affording communication between the heater and mixing-chamber, a cut-off valve in said pipe, a moistener-tube leading from the mixing-chamber to the interior of the incubator, and having orifices located above the eggtray, and a vent-pipe forming an extension of said moistener-tube, provided with a stopper, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination with an incubator, of an exteriorly-arranged heater,a mixing-chamber at one side of the heater, a pipe leading from the top of the heater to the mixing-chamber and communicating with the latterat a point intermediate its height, an air-supply tu be communicating with the lower end of the mixing-chamber, and a moistener-tube com- Ioo' IIO

municating with the mixing-chamber above the entrance of the pipe which communicates with the heater, said moistener-tube leading to the interior of the incubator, and provided with discharge-orifices, substantially as described.

5. The combination with an incubator, of a tank arranged in the upper portion thereof, an exteriorlyarran ged heater comprising upper and lower sections placed in communication by connecting-tubes, the lower section having an upwardly-contracting conicocylindrical inner Hue-Wall arranged to form a Water-chamber which increases in transverse area from the bottomupwardly, and the upper section having a cylindrical inner wall which extends downward into the iiue of the lower section, a lateral extension near the bottom of the heater, upWardly-diverging return-tubes leading from said extension to the hot-Water tank, and supply-pipes leading from the upper section of the heater to the interior of the hot-Water tank, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination with an incubator, of an egg-tray comprising a frame, a plurality of parallel troughs arranged therein to leave intervening spaces, and an egg-separating frame su pported on said troughs and adapted to slide thereon, said egg-separating frame being divided into individual egg-compartments open at top and bottom, substantially as described.

7. The combination with an incubator, of an egg-tray comprising a plurality of parallel troughs spaced apart and having upturned and obliquely-disposed danges along theirlongitudinal edges, and an egg-separating frame resting and adapted to slide thereon and having individual egg-compartments, the said egg-separating frame being removable from the egg-tray, substantiallyT as described.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a nursery-tray for incubators comprising a rectangular frame provided with vertical flanges around its outer edges and with inclined anges substantially parallel with the vertical iianges but located at the inner edges of the frame, a flexible bottom having its edges extended over the inclined flanges of the frame and across the face of said frame between the iianges, and retaining-strips disposed upon the edges of the iiexible bottom between the lianges of the frame, said retainin g-strips being provided withinclined lian ges in contact with The iiexible bottom where it conforms to the inclined flanges of the trayframe.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. OLVER W. RANDOLPH.

Witnesses:

CHAs. A. DURBIN, F. I. RECHNER. 

